Electrical car-brake



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. s. PARSONS.

ELEGTRIUAL GAR BRAKE.

Patented J an .'9

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NIATED. STATES PAFENT OFFI E.

ALBERT S. PARSONS, OF HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRICAL CAR-BRAKE.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,248, dated January 9, 1883.

Application filed May 3, 1 882. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. PARSONS, of Huntingtomin the county of Cabcll and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Car-Brakes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a bottom view of part of a railroad-car, showing my improved brake applied to it. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one side of part of a car bed and truck, showing the brake applied. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through Fig. 1,indicated by the dotted linen: as, showing the brakes relieved from the Wheels.

"Fig. 4 is a view in detail, showing the toggle,

the brake-shoes,the guides forthe toggle-levers, and the springcushion applied to the bottom cross-beam ofthe truck-frame. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, showing'the electrical posts applied to a section of a car-bed, and a spring,

which will complete the circuit in the event of of a car; B, the truck-wheels.

G O designate two horizontal transverse beams, connected together by straps.

secured to the car-bed; and Q is a king-bolt or vertical pivot, all of which parts may be con-i structed in the, usual well-known manner.

'Below the transverse beams O is a transverse bar, D, to the extremities of which are pivoted toggle-levers E, the fulcra of which are at D, in cars, which are rigidly secured to the extremities of the bar D. This bar D may be guided by stirrups depending from the lower transverse beam of the truck-frame. Above the bar D,.and suitably applied to the said lower beam, are springs,which will re- C indi .cates springs; C, a transverse beam, rigidly lieve shock when the toggle-levers are spread apart and the brake-shoes D impinge on the tread of the truck-wheels B, as shown in Fig. 2.

These springs F do not come into play until the brake-shoes begin to bind against the treads ot the wheels and the brakes are actu ally applied. The said springs also prevent the intermediate fulcrum-bar, D, of the toggles from being thrown up suddenly against the lower transverse bar 0 of the truck-frame. The levers which compose the toggles pass freely through guides and fulcrum-pendants G,

which are secured tothe lower transverse beam (J, and the brake-shoes D are suitably pivoted to the outer ends of the toggle-levers, so that said shoes will accommodate themselves to the peripheries or treads of the truck-wheels when the bar is raised, as I will now proceed to describe.

At the middle of the length of thebar D is flexiblycon'nectedto one end of a rod, I, the

opposite end of which rod is flexibly connected to a lever, J, which has its fulcrum at b in a bracket secured rigidly to the car-bed, as shown in Fig. 1. One part of the leverJis the armature of an electro-magnet, K, which is'suitabl y connected by insulated wires 0 c to a battery, that may be located on the locomotive-cab and provided with a key, by which the engineer can establish an electrical communication with the said electro-magnetat pleasure, and thus cause the said armature to contact with the soft cores thereof and bring the braketoggles in to action to apply the brakes. 1

in some cases I shall use a battery or the equivalent thereof on each car or coach, in doing which I shall make provision for electrically connecting cars or coaches in making up a train. In doing thisl have three posts,

(I, djand e, at each end of a car. The mainlinewiresare connected to the posts (I d, and from the post 0, at each end of a car, is a branch wire, which connects with the post (1 at each end of a car. l

To the post 0 is attached a spring-actuated arm, f, which is adjusted under tension, so that when it is free it will fly around and contact with the post d of the main-line wires. The free end of each arm has a loop or eye through it, through which passes a flexible connection, L, which, in the event of its being broken, will allow the spring-arm to complete the circuit between the main wires of the cars, which are electrically connected to the cab of the locomotive for the purpose of causing the electromagnets to attract arm J and apply the brakes. The circuit-wires are connected between cars by suitable couplings, which are preferably coils, as shown, to compensate for the motion of the cars. I

It is obvious that a helical spring, or any other electrical conductor which will admit of the endwise and lateral play of the cars, may be used for connecting together the. posts of the main-line wires.

The armature end of the leverJ is connected to a hand-brake rod, N, by a chain, 0, and'the opposite end of the lever J is similarly connected to a hand-brake rod at the opposite end of the car. A rigid rod, 1, is also connected to-the armature end of the lever J, and to a lever corresponding 'to the lever H, which is fulcrumed on the other truck-frame. A single electro-magnet, applied to the head of each car,

is made by the plan shown to apply the brakes of such car to the truck-wheels thereof.

The pendants G G, which I have above denominated guides, afford fulcra for the outer arms of the toggle E and support the outer portion of one toggle-arm, and afford an upward bearing for the outer portion of the opposite end of the other toggle-arm reciprocally as the cars move forward or backward.

. Having'thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the wheels of a said brakes, all substantiallyin the manner and k for the purposes described.

In testimony. that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT S. PARSONS.

Witnesses WM. R. KEYWORTH, W. (J. MCARTHUR. 

